James w



(No Model.)

J. W. DAWSON.

CLUTCH.

No. 299,205. Patented May 27, 1884.

a I 4 fl WITNESSES. 5 y 1w VEJVTOR.

N. PETERS Phou Ln UNITED dramas ATBNT tries.

JAMES \V. DAWVSON, OF RUSHV ILLE, 1N DIANA.

' v f CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,205, dated May 27,1884.

Application filed December 21, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES W. Dawson, of the town of Bushville, county ofBush, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new an d usefulImprovements in Clutches, of which the following is a specification.

My said invention consists in an improved construction offriction-clutches,whereby they are adapted to perform all the functionsof an ordinary friction-clutch without necessitating the movement of anypart of the driving-gear longitudinallyupon the shaft, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof,and. on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts,Figure 1 is an elevation of a drivingshaft having clutch-gear thereonembodying my invention; Fig. 2, a transverse sectional View looking tothe right from the dotted line z z; Fig. 8, a transverse sectional viewlooking to the left from the dotted line y y; and Fig. 4, a centrallongitudinal section through the same on the dotted line 00 00.

In said drawings, the portions marked A represent the shaft on which thegear is mounted 5 B, the clutch part which is loosely mounted on theshaft; and C, the clutch part which is. rigidly mounted on the shaft.The shaft is any ordinary shaft suitable for the purpose to which it isapplied. It is provided with a spline, a, 011 which the shifter slides.The clutch part B is loosely mounted on the shaft A, and has attachedthereto, or formed integrally therewith,the spool, pulley, or whateverit is desired to drive from the clutch. (A spool, B, being shown.) It ispreferablya disk of an appropriate size, provided with a flan geor rim,

I], on its periphery, which runs between sets of friction-plates on theother clutch part, and is adapted to be held rigidly by them, whendesired, as will be presently more fully described. The clutch part 0 isrigidly mounted on the shaft A and revolves therewith. It is providedwith several pairs (preferably four, as shown) of arms, 0, one of eachpair being pivoted near one end in suitable bearings, near the peripheryof the part 0, on pivots c, and bearing on said end a friction-plate, c,which is adapted to fit against the outer surface of the flange or rim bof the clutch part B. The other arm of the pair is pivoted in a likemanner nearer the center of said part 0, on pivots c, and bears afriction-plate on its end, which is adapted to fit against the insidesurface of said flange or rim. The other end of each arm extends backfrom the part Oalength sufficient to act as a lever, by means of whichthe friction-plate thereon is thrown into and out of engagement with theclutch part B. Said arms are operated by the sliding shifter C", whichis provided with pairs of arms 0, corresponding in number to the arms 0.They have wedge-blocks c mounted between them, which operate between thearms 0 of each pair. A disk having slots cut radially therein or anyother device which will carry the wedgeblocks 0 may be used instead ofthe arms 0"; but I regard the construction shown as preferable. Theshifter G is operated by a pivoted forked lever, C, as shown, or inanyother suitable or desired manner.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The clutch parts B and 0being in position on the shaft, and it being desired to operate thespool, aulley, or whatever mechanism is attached to the part B, theshifter is slipped on the spline a in the shaft A, toward the end of thearms 0. This operates by means of the wedge-blocks c to press the arms 0of each pair apart at this end, and close them up at the other end, thusbringing the friction-plates into contact with the flange or rim b ofthe clutch part B, which is between them, thus causing said clutch partto revolve with the shaft. \Vhen it is again desired to free the clutchpart B, the shifter is slipped in the opposite direction, and the endsof the arms 0 are allowed to come together, and thus the frictionplateson their other ends are thrown apart out of contact with the clutch partB.

By this construction a friction-clutch is provided, which is adapted toperform the usual functions of a frictionclutch without the ne cessityof changing the relative positions of the clutch parts on the shaft.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination, in afriction-clutch, of I00 the clutch part B, loosely mounted on the shaftA, and the clutch part 0, rigidly mounted on said shaft, and havingpairs of arms 0, bearing friction-plates c on one end, pivoted thereto,with means for operating the same, substantially as described, and forthe purposes specifled.

2. In a friction-clutch, the combination of the clutch part B, looselymounted on the shaft A, and provided with a circular flange or rim, 1),the clutch part 0, having pairs of arms 0, pivoted thereto, said armshaving frictionplates 0 on the end next the clutch part B, thefriction-plate of one arm of each pair being adapted to engage with theinside surface of the flange b, and the friction-plate of the other armbeing adapted to engage with the outside surface of said'flange, and ashifter, 0 which engages with the other ends of the pairs of arms 0, andoperates to throw the frictionplates into or out of contact with theflange b of the clutch part B, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a friction-clutch, of the clutch part B, looselymounted on the shaft A, the clutch part 0, rigidly mounted on saidshaft, provided with pairs of arms 0, each arm bearing a friction-plate,0, on one end, and one arm of each pair being pivoted at the peripheryof the part 0, and the other near its center, whereby the friction-plateon one arm of each pair is adapted to engage with the outside surface ofthe clutch part B,

and the other with its inside surface, and the shifter 0 as a means foroperating said arms, substantially as set forth.

4. In a friction-clutch, the combination of the clutch part B, looselymounted on the shaft A, the clutch part 0, rigidly mountedon said shaft,having pairs of arms 0, pivoted in a disk bearing friction-plates ontheir short 0 ends, and the shifter 0 provided with arms 0 which extendoutward, one on each side of the ends of each pair of arms G, and areprovided with a wedge-block, 0 between the ends of said arms 0, wherebysaid arms are operated, substantially as set forth.

5. Thecombination, in afriction-clutch, of the shaft therefor, a clutchpart rigid with said shaft, a clutch part revoluble on said shaft, and ashifter, one of said clutch parts having a flange and the other havingpairs of expansible and contractible friction-plates adapted to beforced into contact with said flange, or to be freed therefrom, by theoperation of said shifter without moving either of said clutch partslongitudinally of said sh aft, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Bushville,Indiana, this 15th day of December, A. D. 1883.

v J AMES W. DAWSON. [L. s.]

In presence of JEFFERSON CHURCHILL, HENRY G. LINN.

